January 1999 - June 1999 *

* Note the months are only approximate as ads
often appear over an extended period of time

Impulse
Ico MarlboroImpulse Ico
Jack Daniels

Delight Pure 6

The Selection for
June, 1999

This
series of ads devoted to Impulse Ico continues to develop.
Originally issued around May this year (see below) this ads seems to
acknowledging developing sexuality (under the influence of Impulse Ico,
no doubt). Read the commentary under May this year before reading
the paragraph below. Then see the correspondence re this ad on
the ASA
page.

The
original ads conveyed a number of messages regarding
perceived cleanliness and sexuality. This pair of ads goes one
stage further. It no longer purports to 'protect' young women
from anxiety it offers them a burgeoning sexuality under the protection
of Impulse Ico. Note the basic phallic shape in the centre
of the second page of the ad.

The
shape is obviously open to interpretation as a phallic shape but only
if one is aware of such a concept. Additionally, the ad gives
viewers a nudge in the direction of a sexual interpretation of the ad
by incorporating a whole series of shapes that can be construed as the
letters of the word sex (see the image on the right).

One
should also note that the female in the 'protective ice block' is beginning
to develop sexually. Symbolically she is 'breaking free'.
She has also been presented on this occasion with breast nipples and
pubic hair.

The Selection for
May, 1999

Typical
of a number of ads depicting a Marlboro cowboy this ad sports an embedded
figure. Usually the figures emphasize the theme of sex (heterosexual
and/or homosexual) or the theme of death. Both
themes have strong historical links with cigarette smoking and any cues
embedded in the ads are presumably calculated to trigger thoughts/emotions/moods
associated with the relevant themes. In this ad look for
a sexually indeterminate figure, an androgynous 'Gingerbread Man/Woman'.
Clue: He/she is about knee high.

The
sex of the figure is somewhat indeterminate and there are at least two
ways of perceiving
it. As with many figure-ground illusions what which of the two
possible figures is perceived depends upon the point of the image on
which attention is focused. If attention is focused on the
erect penis (see Fig. 1 below) then one will perceive a Gingerbread
Man. If attention is focused on the (low slung) breast like
shapes (see Fig. 2 below) then the penis will be overlooked and the
figure will be perceived as a woman. This is an unusual figure
in this respect but taking into account the nature of previous Marlboro
ads it would seem as if this figure is intended to trigger thoughts
of either masturbation and/or sexuality. However, note that if
one focuses on certain aspects of the head one might perceive a dog
(sitting up facing the viewer). However, this latter perception
is likely to be quickly dispelled if one also notices that the shape
of the 'forelegs' is inappropriate, unless someone has broken the dog's
legs.

This
illustration is for a product advertised in Shine, a new monthly magazine.
It has also appeared in other young women's magazines. It is the
first page of a two page ad. Each page of the ad was an odd numbered
page, with one page following another.

Despite
the fact that the setting is an icy wasteland the imagery seems rather
warm and comforting. Note, however, that the young woman
in the ad is not simply naked, she is asexual. She is not wearing
any clothing and seemingly is simply covered in a silvery sheen.
Despite her nakedness and her breasts, there are no nipples nor any
indication of hair in her genital region. This would seem to
indicate that she is not to be perceived as a sexually awakened individual,
she is still young and innocent. However, there are other aspects
of the advert that are clearly sexual in nature. See for example
the next image, a blow-up of the top left hand corner of the ad. Without
any doubt this is a representation of an erect penis and testicles.
Embedded at the base of the penis is a face, looking towards the young
woman. There is also an indication of another face to the right
of the first face. This second face has an X shaped cross superimposed
upon it, the horizontal band of the X runs across the bridge of its
nose.

To
the left of these faces is a couple of swirls indicative of the letter
s (s and x, in sequence, are, of course, pretty close to the word sex).
What this combination of figures and shapes may symbolize
depends upon other elements of the advert. The second figure below
is from the top right hand corner of the advert. It illustrates
two figures, one in front of the other. The first figure seems
to possess a rather childlike face.

To
make sense of this ad one has to take the perspective of a young woman
viewing the ad. She is apparently attracting the attention of
the aroused (male) figure (or figures)) on the top left of the ad.
One outcome of a sexual liaison could be the production of a child/children,
as depicted in the top right of the ad.. It is also possible to
perceive the two figures in the top right as a couple, one lying behind
the other. In this case also the imagery can be interpreted
as depicting unwanted sexual attention.

Now,
how is this young woman to deal with these problems of sexual attraction/sexual
liaisons? Easy - she can just use Impulse Ico.
Impulse Ico might simply seem to be just another deodorant but in fact
it is also staking a claim to solve unwanted sexual attention and perhaps
even indicates its use can arrest sexual development. To determine
whether this assumption is correct, look at the next page of the ad.

On
the second page the young woman is triumphantly raising her arms.
Clearly this indicates she has no fear of BO., Impulse Ico is taking
care of that. However, note the positioning of her upper arms
and hands. Her right hand (top left of ad) is covering up
the voyeuristic* and rampant male evident on the first page and her
left hand (at the other side of the ad) is covering up the couple/child.

Ico,
clearly has power that other deodorants do not. Users of Ico will
not only be able to effect a change in the impression its users make
upon those within sensory distance they will fend off dangers of undesired
advances and unwanted pregnancy. Its miracle stuff. It's
in a can and all yours for just a few pounds.

This
ad is unusual in that it is a two page ad with a semi-subliminal message
spread across both pages. Each of the two pages can and do function
as separate ads as each offers a complete 'storyline'. Rather unusually,
key attributes of the ad are in the top left hand corner, as published
in Shine. This corner is normally the last part of the page a
viewer is likely to see. Given that the pages are odd numbered pages
these elements are tucked in to the binding. In single page versions
of the ad (the second page only) the ad appears as either odd or even
numbered pages. When an even page is used, the face and
part of the erection obscured by the model's hand would therefore appear
first.

It
would appear that the single page ad would possess meaning only for
those who had already noted the figures from previous viewing
of the first page of the original ad. However, note also that
the 'lettering' is still apparent on both sides of the hand as it 'obscures'
the phallic/penis shape. The 'letters' can thus still be
interpreted in a number of ways in conjunction with the imagery.
The message associated with SX, a hand and an erect penis is assuredly
a muted version of the clear sexual message present in the double page
ad. In this instance the sex is 'safe' as the connotations are
with masturbation and foreplay, not intercourse nor its possible outcomes.

For
many years it has been contended that distilling companies have had
a preference for incorporating 'subliminal' imagery into the artwork
of their ads. So far no whistleblower
has come forward to confirm this type of activity but plenty of individual
examples abound. Here is one for Jack Daniel's Whisky.

It
will undoubtedly be contended that no such monkey business occurs in
Jack Daniel's Whisky. But, if that is the case then what you will perceive
in the ad on the left and the actual size extract on the right is merely
an illustration of the effectiveness of the imagination in extracting
meaning from innocuous visual stimuli. Whatever! I am sure that if you
use your imagination responsibly that you will have little difficulty
in identify two faces glaring at each other in the glass.

If
these cartoon type images were intentional then they surely give the
lie to the statement at the bottom of recent spirits ads. Analysis of
a number of other Jack Daniel's ads lead the author to conclude that
the embedded figures were intentional.

Note
that the ad contains a request by your friends at Jack Daniel's to drink
responsibly. One should note that the ad doesn't say what you should
be responsible for. On the basis of the embedded imagery it seems reasonable
to assume that it is OK to be fearful and responsible for encouraging
cat fights and arguments - and, perhaps, all the other abusive forms
of behaviour provided that increases alcohol consumption. Profits, so
it would seem to come before social concern.

This
is another of these ads that has two levels of message, the overt and
the covert.

The
overt message is straightforward, consuming Delight helps one loose
weight. Covertly, the ad carries sexual connotations as pulling out
ones trousers in such a manner clearly would uncover secret delights.
Considered on its own merits this would not be considered an appropriate
interpretation of this ad but for further insights into the slippery
meanings associated with margarine ads see the Delight
and
Flora pages.

Those
viewers with a fertile imagination might have noted that this ad appeared
in February. Santa obviously came a little late on this occasion.

What's
in a name? With a name like Pure 6 one is certain to raise a few
laughs but will marketing a product under a brand name like this help
ensure that it survives. I doubt it. Surely you can do better
than this, chaps. However, lets forget about the marketing strategy
and a brand name that reeks of student rag week gags and consider the
content of the ad.

Pure 6 is pure.
We can tell that from the almost holy glow around the lighthouse.
However, it is the rather unholy elements in the sea underneath that
really ought to attract the attention of potential drinkers. Lying
in wait for anyone who drinks too much of this stuff is the stormy deep.
At least one unfortunate individual who has had a few drinks too many
in his attempt to drown his sorrows shows his face in the stormy waters.
He simply drowned.

Find a copy
of the original ad and look for the spot illustrated in the blow-up
shown below to see what I mean. You will find a less than positive
message for drinkers.

Pure 6 might
seem sexy but the goal of those who produced this ad was simply to sell
drinkers more than was good for them on the assumption that they were
already intent on 'drowning their sorrows' and 'slow motion suicide'.

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